Live Life Team
Bell’s palsy affects one side of the face. It paralyses the face muscles and causes weakness. The affected person may not be able to close the eye lid. The causes are unknown for this disease. There is a belief that herpes virus can cause this. This affects men and women equally, normally in the range of 15 to 40 years of age. It is common in diabetic patients and pregnant women. With prognosis, complete recovery is possible within nine months. In most of the cases, the symptoms withdraw within a month. Speedy cure is possible with steroid medicines. However, the treatment should start within 72 hours of appearing of symptoms, so that it is very effective.
What causes Bell’s palsy
The facial nerve controls most of the muscles in the face. It connects the brain and face. It passes through a narrow passage of bone. This nerve suffers inflammation due to attack of a virus such as herpes virus. The cheekbone exerts pressure on this inflamed nerve. Therefore, this nerve can also suffer damage when it is compressed. This affects the flow of signals from the brain, and communication from brain to the muscles in the face, causing Bell’s palsy.
What are the symptoms of Bell’s palsy
The symptoms of this disease surface quickly. It may take only few hours for appearance of the symptoms. It affects one side of the face causing weakness or paralysis. Closing the eyelid becomes difficult in this condition. Drooping of a side of the mouth is possible. As closing the eyelid is not possible, it causes irritation in the eye. You may feel pain at the bottom side of the ear of the affected side. The sense of taste may change. The ear on the affected side may develop more sensitivity. Salivation at the affected side can happen. These symptoms improve within twenty days.
How Bell’s palsy is diagnosed
Diagnosis by exclusion is a special process, used for concluding on this. The doctor at first looks for evidences connected to other diseases such as tumour or bacterial infections such as Lyme disease. In this diagnosis, doctors examine the head, ear and neck thoroughly. They check the muscles in the face to ascertain any damage to the facial nerve. After ruling out other diseases the doctors proceed with the usual diagnosis for Bell’s palsy. If the doctors are uncertain on this, they may refer you to an ENT specialist. The ENT specialists carry out further tests including Electromyography (EMG) and imaging scans. They measure the nerves’ electrical activity and assess damages to the nerves, through EMG. MRI or CT scan enables them to find out any other causes such as tumour or infection.
How Bell’s palsy is treated
The recent trials have proved that treatment with steroid medicines, particularly prednisolone, is very effective. Prednisolone reduces inflammation and helps speedy recovery. The course of treatment involves taking two prednisolone tablets a day, for ten days. However, this medicine has side effects, which include nausea, dizziness, tiredness and indigestion. These troubles withdraw automatically when the system adapts itself to this medicine. If closing the eyelid is not possible, lubrication helps prevent infection and saves the eye from dirt and dust.
If you have not recovered completely within nine months, further treatments are necessary. In many such cases, physiotherapy helps improving the muscle movements. Plastic surgery can improve the look of the face, even though it cannot treat the nerves.
